Our group of young adults as part of the Environmental Initiative in Tanzania has returned home safely. Akina Latigo, Rebecca Miller, Dan O’Connell and Megan Walton traveled with Greg Sammons and Lisa Roth. We look forward to sharing more about their journey soon, but in the meantime enjoy a couple photos!

The young adult group gathered prior to the trip for a quick brick making workshop with engineer Larry Mackey. Here they are making bricks!

In it Bishop Maimbo writes, “This newsletter comes to you all with many good memories of successes as we continue to fulfill our mission 2025. One of these successes is my completion of my PhD. I am therefore delighted to report that my studies which took most of my time came to an end on April 23rd when I received my PhD at a graduation held at the show grounds of Pietermartzburg city in South Africa. I thank God that through your prayers, toleration and supports this dream of my heart has come true. I am back now to my diocese to try to give the ministry which people of God missed during the period of the study. It is my prayers to the Lord that He will guide me into the way of wisdom, humbleness and truth and, at the end of all, grant me eternal life.”

We extend our most heartfelt congratulations to Bishop Maimbo for completion of his PhD, and look forward to our continued partnership together as he dives further into his new role in the Diocese of Tanga.

Dr. Damian Mpundu and Lucas Mmole RN arrived safely home in Tanzania on Easter Sunday after an exciting and whirlwind trip in northern Ohio. There is so much to tell about their visit and a great place to start is about the time we spent with our partner MedWish International.

If you do not already know, MedWish is a Cleveland-based nonprofit organization that repurposes medical waste from nearly 70 corporate and hospital donors for humanitarian aid to 90 countries around the world. Thanks to their partnership, Tanzania is one such country and through their partnership we have shipped two 40 foot containers filled with supplies and equipment with plans to send a third this year.

Our special guests from Tanzania come from a 68-bed hospital in a small town called Korogwe in the Tanga region. Because of these shipments, they are now the only hospital in the region with an EKG machine. They now have a proper skills laboratory for their newly formed nursing school that helped them to achieve provisional certification. Lions Club International even chose St. Raphael’s to perform cataract surgeries because of the newly modernized operating theater.

On Saturday, March 23, Damian and Lucas had a chance to personally thank MedWish volunteers and supporters and share a little of the impact they have had. Enjoy the photos!

We are so pleased that Dr. Damian J. Mpundu and Lucas Mmole RN from St. Raphael’s Hospital in Korogwe have joined us in Ohio to share first hand the stories and successes of the Tanga Health Project. Damian arrived safely on March 8 and began his journey in Northwest Ohio with friends and supporters of the project. Lucas arrived safely on March 14, where they both spent a few days together in Cleveland Heights and will next go to the southern portion of our Diocese to visit with the small but lively parish, New Life Episcopal in Uniontown. The parish has had four members, including myself, participate in activities with the project. They will end their trip with activities in the Cleveland area. Welcome, Damian and Lucas, to Ohio!

In it Bishop Maimbo writes, “Shambaa reminds us that your future success lays on the choice you make today.” Words that ring true in strategic partnerships.

As we grow and work together, it is the choices of individuals who have engaged in the project that have helped drive it forward. It is the Diocese of Ohio’s choice to rekindle the relationship that made it a priority. It is the choice to work with our other partners, namely parishes within the Diocese of Ohio, MedWish International, and Brother’s Brother Foundation that have allowed us to see success on this project in just a few short years. It is even our brothers and sisters in Tanga who have chosen to work with us on building a sustainable future for their region, one project, one partnership at a time.

Shambaa are a group of people that reside in the mountains where the climate and land is rich for farming.

Saturday afternoon, Larry Mackey and other members of the Tanga group reported out on the project in an afternoon workshop facilitated by the Commission for Global and Domestic Mission. A copy of the presentation is provided below.

There is a certain excitement and enthusiasm that surround this kind of work within the Diocese of Ohio.